


splash free

by tysunkete (aozu)



Series: log(minus 1) anthology [6]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Established Relationship, M/M, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 04:25:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12903999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aozu/pseuds/tysunkete
Summary: Original request:"Imagine Person B of your OTP can’t swim, and Person A, who is an excellent swimmer, offers to instruct them" just read this and thought Lavi teaching Kanda how to swim would be the most hilarious thing ever





	splash free

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written : 17/03/2015.

Lavi isn’t a professional swimmer, but he’s _close_ to one. By that he means he is—was, technically he passed the baton since inter-highs are over, the captain of their high school swim team, though he decided not to go pro. There’s just too much uncertainty in sports for his uncle’s liking, and it isn’t like he didn’t get a scholarship for Tokyo University with his magnificent brain anyway, so, it doesn’t really matter all that much to him if he can still do laps in the pool.

He loves being in the water—the cool refreshing water and how easy it is to glide through all that. Other sports always have some kind of air resistance that slow you down; not swimming, not when he’s powering for the end line and slapping his hand on the wall first before anyone else. It’s just a waste that his boyfriend of a few weeks does not see eye to eye with him on that matter, probably because the other _can’t swim_.

The first time Kanda admitted that to him (like, a day ago), he had thought it was some joke. In this day and age, who _can’t_ swim? Isn’t swimming compulsory in like, middle school classes? Then again, Kanda was homeschooled then; the rich young master. It isn’t like Kanda has a phobia towards bodies of water, and the other is too capable in all kinds of physical activity (sports, he means) that it just never crossed his mind that Kanda _can’t swim_.

He should have thought a little more on why Kanda never agreed to any of his requests to join him in the pool other than the other’s sour attitude. He’s also really thankful he’s never pushed the other in for fun, because he might have gotten a heart attack from the realisation that he could’ve potentially drowned the love of his life, and also Kanda would never speak to him again.

But that didn’t happen, Kanda still speaks to him, which is a key factor to how he finally confessed and convinced the sourpuss to date him—it still feels like a dream, because he had spent the worst part of three whole years freaking out over his gay crisis and then some about Kanda’s probable (if any) feelings towards him. It’s nearing the end of their final year in high school now, but neither of them are particularly concerned with the exams since Lavi knows his place in Todai is pretty much a given, and Kanda himself got in some fancy college in France (the _rich_ young master, has Lavi mentioned this). Perhaps it’s not the best idea to begin a relationship knowing that they were going to be apart for a long time within a few months, but it’s precisely of that distance that Lavi can’t live with himself if he doesn’t have _some_ way of Kanda being connected to him; he’s going to _try_ no matter how hard it’s going to be, dammit.

So they only have a few months of couple-ly honeymoon time before shit gets real, which might be a reason why there was relatively little bugging to convince Kanda to come to the pool. With his ever tight and flawless arguments he reasoned that swimming is a useful skill, Kanda had to learn how to swim at _some_ point, what if he fell into the ocean somewhere in France and Lavi isn’t around to save him? Maybe Kanda agreed to get him to shut his blabbering, but he doesn’t care because _Kanda_ agreed to be in the _pool_ —his two favourite things at the same time.

He might’ve been too excited to really think of how he’s supposed to teach Kanda other than some vague ideas in his mind, but then his brain goes blank when Kanda finally walks out of the toilets in jammers.

 _Only_ jammers.

Yeah sure he’s seen Kanda shirtless after kendo practice or matches, but the knee length lycra does _nothing_ to hide the muscle definition of his thighs. With that abdominal and shoulder sculpture too; Lavi resists the urge to look down at himself because _he’s_ a fucking swimmer and Kanda has better physique for it than he does, what the bloody hell.

Kanda probably notices the way he’s being stared at because he flushes very faintly and scowls darker, kicking Lavi on the shins.

“Quit it.”

“Just appreciating the view, man,” Lavi mutters absently with a half crooked grain.

“The pants feels fucking weird,” Kanda says instead, lips pressed into an uncomfortable line as he stands next to Lavi, with both of them starting at the water.

“You can always take it off, I don’t mind—“ Lavi begins with an air of innocence, but he doesn’t get to finish the sentence as a strong hand pushes him hard from the back, and he yelps from the sudden movement propelling him face first into the water.

When he surfaces he’s spluttering and wiping the water from his face, but Kanda is seated on the edge giving him challenging raise of the eyebrows, daring him to say more. The water level comes up to a little lower than his chest. He grins instead, patting the surface of the water.

“Fine,” he acquiesces. “Get down here, Yuu.”

Kanda grumbles a bit but the other does what he says, and it’s certainly adorable how the sour-face teen looks so _lost_. “So now what?”

“Now, you learn to swim,” Lavi declares. “We’ll start with the breast stroke, since it’s the easiest one. Watch me.”

Lavi is the most proficient in butterfly—his shoulder and back muscles are good for _something_ —and breast stroke is actually his slowest style, but it’s not important information at the moment. He demonstrates a short lap along the breath of the pool after pulling his goggles on, and when he surfaces, Kanda doesn’t look very enthused.

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean ‘that’s it’?” Lavi blinks.

“What about the…the one you always do,” Kanda spits out reluctantly.

It isn’t even a question, but Lavi knows well enough the particular brand of Kanda speak to understand what the other is trying to say exactly.

“I knew you thought I was awesome at the inter-high,” he grins widely.

“Shut up. You lost anyway,” Kanda snaps back, though there isn’t much bite in it.

“I was second,” Lavi sniffs indignantly. He isn’t too caught up about that though—the first had been a champion swimmer from a major powerhouse, and second is a pretty impressive performance, definitely good enough for him to be scouted. “Anyway, I can teach you the butterfly after you know the basics, so, come on,” he says, wading to the edge where the other is. “Hold the edge and float.”

Kanda sighs like it’s some terrible deed that requires his soul, but he does turn to face the wall, snaps his goggles on and puts his hands on the edge. With a deep breath he sinks down and attempts to float horizontally like he’s seen Lavi do, and he finds himself staring at the foot of the pool for the longest time ever until he feels a hand tugging him up frantically.

“Yuu! Fuck—“ Lavi grabs his shoulder in agitation, eye wide. “What happened? Are you breathing?”

Kanda frowns in confusion. “You said to float,” he says blankly, and Lavi’s expression melts into one of relief.

“Oh. Well. You didn’t move for the longest time ever, I thought you drowned or something,” he mutters, and then squints suspiciously. “How long can you hold your breath? Because that was like…really long.”

Kanda shrugs. “Does it matter?”

“N—Yes—no. Not really. Sometimes. Whatever,” Lavi huffs. “Okay, since you’re a natural floater, you can try the kick like you saw me do. It’s like kicking out in a circle.”

He expects Kanda to kick his legs out at an awkward angle like most people do on their first try, but then he sees a relatively smooth movement under the water with no problems at all. He stares too long at the repetitive movement that he only jolts out of it when Kanda pokes his head above the surface to get the next breath of air.

“So what now?” Kanda asks him, unimpressed, and Lavi squints harder in disbelief.

“Are you _sure_ you don’t know how to swim?”

“Why the hell are we doing this stupid thing then?” Kanda counters.

Lavi has no answer to that, so he beckons Kanda to come closer to him instead. “Okay. You learn…much faster than I expected,” he admits. “Next step: hold my hands.”

Kanda looks at the open palms offered to him. “…Why?”

“Why not?” Lavi smiles innocently, clenching and unclenching his fists.

“There are _people_ here,” Kanda hisses, and Lavi can’t help the chuckles that burst through.

“Aww Yuu, I didn’t mean it in _that_ way,” he teases. “I’m just going to lead you across the pool as you kick. But we can always—“

Kanda shoves a large volume of water towards him in retaliation, and he turns just in time, laughing. The next time he stretches his hands out Kanda grabs onto them whilst glaring darkly at him.

“Hurry up.”

“Alright. I’ll lead you once to the other side. You try to surface with every kick that you do, like how you saw me do it. Ready?”

“Whatever.”

“At your own time, Yuu,” he nods, and Kanda goes under.

Kanda’s physique is outlined under the water as he walks backwards, guiding Kanda along with him. The other moves fluidly—much too fluid for a beginner—with the perfect coordination of breaths of air and the kicks to propel him forward. He watches with a sort of fascinated awe, noticing that Kanda isn’t even really gripping his hands for support, it more like a gentle entrustment on how he leads the other forward.

Kanda is good a lot of things, sure, but this is just fucking ridiculous.

He only realises that he’s not paying attention to where he’s going until he knocks backwards into the wall, the abrupt motion causing Kanda to bump face-first into his stomach. Kanda accidentally gulps water and struggles to find his feet on the floor, but a quick motion hauls him out, with a frantic redhead holding his face close.

“I’m so sorry, fuck, I wasn’t looking, are, are you okay?” Lavi presses worriedly, as Kanda coughs the remaining water out. “Are you okay, Yuu?” he asks again, fingers gentle on Kanda’s skin.

“What the hell,” Kanda takes a breath to clear his water logged nose, pulling his goggles down. “What were you doing?”

“Watching you,” Lavi says honestly. “Sorry.”

Kanda gives him a look that seems to be a mix of incredulity and embarrassment, an expression he’s come to accept as endearment.

“Seriously though, are you okay?” he asks softly, brushing away the stray dripping bangs from the other’s face.

“I’m not dead,” Kanda replies bluntly, pushing away his hands. “Stop fussing.”

Lavi relaxes, though he doesn’t stop giving the concerned look. “You can never be too sure. Maybe you need some CPR,” he says, and Kanda stares at him uncomprehendingly for a few silent seconds until the edges of his lips crack into a grin.

“The fuck—“ Kanda begins, face flushing darkly, but Lavi takes the chance to close the distance, chuckling warmly into his mouth.


End file.
